Handling apparatus



Jul 5, 1949.

K. P. BILLNER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept 8, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1July 5, 1949. K. P. BILLNER HANDLING APPARATUSv 2 Sheets-sheaf, 2

Filed Sept. 8,1944

Iarlfiflz'llzaer h m-ad v a Patented July 5, 1949 Kari PI Bill'ner,Philadelphia, Pa assignor to Vacuum Concrete, Inc., acorporationofPennsyli ania' Application-September 8, 1944sS'erialiNo..553,239

2 Claims;

This; invention. relates. to handling, apparatusfor usein reinforcing.and lifting bodies.- ofvari-- ous types.

The use of vacuum has been rather extensive in the past for'chuckszholdf-dbwn devices and attachment of articles to relativelysmooth surfaces. have been extended by the present invention whichcontemplates the-handling. of comparatively large objects whereinexcessive stresseswouldbe encountered were ordinary handling methodsand'l apparatus employed".

ViZhereas this invention is applicable toa-large number of'uses, it isof particular valuein the handling; ofbodies of extensive surfaceareaand relatively low. resistance to bending stresses Sheet glassand'prefabricated concrete walls are clearly'in this category, auditwill be of interest to point outthat'prefabricated' concrete walls ofonly two and one-half inch thickness, containing sash and door openings,have been successfully handled in accordance with the principles of thisinvention. Use in raising sunken vessels is also contemplated, andaccording to one of its aspects, the apparatus is admirably suited fortemporarily reinforcing materials being handled.

Slings are often used to distribute the stresses imposed upon a bodybeing lifted, and in the case of ferrous bodies, magnetic hoists havebeen employed to distribute the lifting forces more or less uniformly.In accordance With the present invention, uniform distribution of stresshas been more nearly achieved. Mats have been constructed for suspensionfrom a hoist, a mat comprising a hollow body having an open side forapplication to the surface of the body to be lifted, there being gasketmeans carried by the mat for effecting a seal with respect to suchsurface. The interior of the mat is adapted for connection with a sourceof sub-ambient pressure. In the case of atmospheric conditions,sub-ambient pressure would be sub-atmospheric. while in cases ofsubmarine operations, sub-ambient pressures might exceed atmospheric.Where large areas are involved, the mat may be provided with yieldablesupports or spacers at points intermediate the sealing gasket.Reinforcing means in the form of a rib or stiffener may be provided forone or more surfaces of the mat for attachment to the hoist. A pluralityof mats, contiguous or spaced may be joined to a single backing orreinforcing element, such structures adapting themselves as temporaryreinforcing beams for structures undergoing stresses.

Undesired transverse movement of the seal- Some of the principles ofthese practices 2 ing gaskets may. be prevented by embedding them ingrooves or between. heads provided by the mat; In. some cases the meansfor producing.

sub-ambient pressures may be mounted. on or closely adjacentthe mat, andvalvemeansmay be similarly. positioned. to afford convenient controla-t. themat- A more complete understanding; oi: the inven-- tion willfollow from. a description. ofi the attaclried drawings wherein;

Fig. 1'. is. a. somewhat diagrammatic perspective" showing. the. use ofa. hoist for handling a rein-- forced. concrete wall. and temporaryreinforce-- ment at an opening in the wall;

Fig.. 2 is. a. bottom. plan view of.- amat. of the type depicted. in.Fig. 1.;

Fig. 3 is sectional. elevation. of themat of. Fig.

Fig. 4 is a. bottom plan ofa modified. form of main" Fig. 5 is asectional elevation of the mat of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of another form of mat; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional elevation of the mat of Fig. 6.

The prefabricated concrete wall 20 of Fig. 1 includes a door opening 22and a window opening 24. The wall is depicted in a vertical position towhich it has been elevated by a hoist whose hook 26 is connected throughcables 28 to a spreader 30 which is in turn connected by cables 32 tothe mat 34. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the mat comprises a frame 36,composed of plywood, sheet metal or other suitable material, the rearsurface of which is reinforced by a rib or web 38 by which it isattached to a hoist by means of rings or perforations (not shown)suitably provided therefor. The front face of the mat is provided withbeads 4|], spaced to receive and restrain a peripheral sealing gasket 42which defines with the frame a hollow body having an open side forapplication to a surface or a body to be handled. A'nipple 44 containinga valve 46 provides means for connecting the interior of the mat with asource of sub-ambient pressure.

The reinforcing beam 48 bridging the door opening 22 of Fig. 1 isprovided with a mat 50 at either end, similar to the mat 34 of Fig. 2.By connecting the tubes 52 to a source of subambient pressure, the mats50 will establish a firm hold upon the wall surfaces and permit the beam48 to strengthen the structure during handling.

The mat 54 of Figs. 4 and 5 is somewhat similar to that of Fig. 2,having a gasket 42 held between beads 40, a pair of reinforcing ribs 38provided with rings 56 and a valved nipple 44. Since the mat of Fig. 4covers a larger area, than that of Fig. 2, intermediate supports 58 havebeen provided in the form of flexible elements such as rubber to preventcollapse of the mat when it is subjected to differential pressures.These intermediate supports are shown as being of a button type,retained in position by beads 60 formed on the front face of the frame.

A mat 62 is depicted in Figs. 6 and 7, especially adapted for submarineuse. As in the previously described examples, a frame 36 receives amarginal flexible gasket 42 retained by beads 40, thus presenting ahollow body having an open side for application to the surface of a bodyto be handled. Elongated intermediate supports 64, retained by beads 66,serve a purpose similar to those of different shape shown in Fig. 4.There are no reinforcing ribs shown in this modification, attachment toa hoist being accomplished through rings 68 mounted on the rear surfaceof the mat. A suitable driven pump 10 is also carried on the rearsurface of the mat for producing a sub-ambient pressure between thefront surface of the mat and the surface of a body to be lifted orotherwise handled. The pump is connected with the interior of the mat bya tube 12, and may deliver through a tube 14.

The sealing gasket in each case will be of sufficiently flexiblematerial such as rubber, to permit the mat to adapt itself toirregularities of surfaces sufficiently to maintain the necessarypressure differential for operation of the present principles andapparatus.

Whereas several examples of the present invention have been described,those skilled in the art will comprehend the widely diversifiedapplications of the principles to other apparatus and uses. Accordingly,the scope of the invention should not be restricted to the examplesdescribed beyond the limitations of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A structure comprising a body having a discontinuous surface, areinforcing implement temporarily bridging the discontinuity duringhandling of said body, said implement comprising a beam rigidlysupporting a plurality of spaced vacuum mats for engagement with saidsurface at opposite sides of said discontinuity, means carried by saidmats to effect sealing relationship with said surface, and meansconnecting said mats with a source of sub-ambient pressure.

2. A structure comprising a substantially rigid body weakened by anopening, a reinforcing beam bridging said opening, said beam rigidlysupporting a pair of spaced open vacuum mats for engagement with saidbody at opposite sides of said opening, a readily deformable sealinggasket secured at the open portion of each of said mats for engagementwith said body, and conduit means for connecting the interior of each ofsaid mats with a source of sub-ambient pressure.

KARL P. BILLNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 731,941 Palmer June 23, 19031,125,752 Smith Jan. 19, 1924 1,505,626 Debaecker Aug. 19, 19241,519,243 Ericsson Dec. 16, 1924 1,535,064 Troutman Apr. 21, 19252,172,199 Haworth Sept. 5, 1939 2,233,350 Nelson Feb. 25, 1941 2,347,491Lente Apr. 25, 1944

